The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-02
A Brave Fellow.
YOUNG SOLDIER, TOO SICK TO WORK
ORDERED TO BE SHOT BY GEN. BRAGG.

A YOUNG SOLDIER, TOO SICK TO WORK,
ORDERED TO BE SHOT BY GEN. BRAGG.
When Gen. Brages army evacuated
Corinth, Miss, in 1862, there was
great deal of sickness among the sol
diers, nearly one-fourth of tie army be.
ing unfit for service.
Capt. s. r. Weston, of Company II,
5th Georgia regiment, and myself (be-
longing 10 Company e, same regi.
ment), were on the sick list and not
allie to march, but still able to do light
duty. So we were put in charge of the
sick of our regiment, who were to be
sent down on separate train. While
we were at the depot getting the men
aboard and looking to their comfort,
we noticed another squad to our left,
as we faced the town, loading another
train with quartermaster's and commits
sary stores and everybody seemed to be
in hurry and in some confusion.
Every straggler was put to work, and
many of the sick were made to work
who ought to have been in bed. Some
boisterous, overbearing fellow was
bossing the job, and if he ordered a
man to go to work and he refused he
reported him at once to Gen. Bragg,
who seemed to be experimenting the
whole movement in person.
Finally young soldier came along
on his way to the cars for the sick. He
appeared to be about 20 years of age,
tall and handsome, but pale and deli
cate. TIE man Tor brute) commanding
the work squad saw him and yelled
out:
"Say, young man, fall in here and
60 to work Heave these goods into
these cars and be quick about it."
The young man replied:
81 am not able to work. If I we're
would be with my company"
"Eh? Won't work, eh? Wen see
about that. General !" he followed ont
to Gen. Bragg, who was passing,
"heres a man who refused to work" :"
pointing at the youth, who stood as
firm as a rock. Gen. Bragg stopped
ard gazed at the young man, his eyes
blazing as no other mans eyes can
blaze, and repeated the order to help
load those cars at once. The young
man repeated his former answer, that
he was not able to work; had he been
able to work he would be able to
march, and would be with his COM
mand.
The generals eyes seemed to flash
fire as he exclaimed:
"What! You dare to disobey my
orders 7"
81 do," calmly replied the young
man.
, The general called a lieutenant of a
Louisiana company of regulars doing
guard duty, and said:
"Take six of your company and car
ry this man to that grove and shoot
him."
| The lieutenant called out six of his
men and ordered them to load their
guns, and while they were doing so
Gen. Bragg beckoned the lieutenant,
stepped behind garden wall, spoke
to him in low tone not heard by any
one else and walked away. The guard
marched the young man to the grove,
about one hundred yards to our right,
placed him upon stool agains large
oak and started to blindfold him, which
he would not permit, but took off his
gold watch and chain and fine gold
ring from his finger, handed them to
the lieutenant, and requested him TO send
them to his mother, at the same time
writing her name and address on d
piece of paper and handing it to the
lieutenant, resumed his position against
the tree, and, with proud smile upon
4 his lips and without a tremor in his
voice, said:
SNOW, sir, am ready"
The lieutenant stepped off ten PAGES
brought his men to attention. and
commanded, in loud voice distinctly
heard by us: "Ready Aim!"
: I became so weak thought l should
faint, and caught hold of small oak
for support and closed my eyes to shut
out the awful deed. There sat the
young man, gazing into the muzzle o.
six muskets pointed at his heart, sin
|, gle one of which might send his sou
into eternity in the twinkling of an
eye. He looked on as calmly as if ht
was looking at camera and was sim
ply having his photograph taken. Blu
the lientenant's next command was
"Recover arms !" which was willingly
and promptly obeyed. The lieutenan
then stepped up to the young man
bade him rise, grasped his nand in ad
miration, returned his watch and ring
which he resolved with a polite bow
and the word "Thanks," and walked
away as unconcerned as if nothing un
usual had occurred.
The lieutenant and his men returned
to their former position, in few pace
of where we were, and pretty soon Gen
Bragg returned and asked:
"Where is the boy I"
II "Gone, said the lieutenant.
!, "What did you do'" asked the gen
, eral.
, Just exactly as you directed" re
piled the lieutenant. "He handed mi
, his watch and. ring to send to his moth
, er, took his position, refused to b
, blindfolded, said he was ready, an
| never batted his eyes even when W
were at aim He's the bravest man
ever saw in my lifew And tears cam
, into the lieutenant's eyes.
q "Who is he, and where is he 7" dc
d manded the general, evincing much in
! terest and looking in every direction
81 don't know" answered the lier
L tenant Here's his mothers name an
1 address," handing HIM a slip of papel
r He glanced at it, put it in his vest
pocket, and said:
o "Well, find him. I'll promote him.
= And away they went to find the youn
" hero.
! But whether they ever found hin
- aud if so, what came of it, I nev'
- knew.
70 When Gen. Bragg first gave the o
a der to shoot the young man suppo'
y there were a hundred soldiers wh
= heard it. They soon scampered ava,
(; some to work, some to hide out, other
/, too sick to do either-took the plac